The Thorn
by ghostlygeorge
Summary: The Thorn Protects The Rose Form Those Who Would Steal The Blossom. Three years and the war has yet to end. Can the hope for peace still hold out? Katula, implied Zutara, Katoph, Zaang. Warnings: Femmeslash, Slash, Language, Angst, and General Azulaness.
1. Where It Begins

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar...Don't sue. I do own what I've written. Enjoy!

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6 months before the peace meeting

Fire Nation: War Room

Azula; Age: 17

Zuko; Age: 19

Hard gold eyes pierced the Fire Lord Ozai. Princess Azula was not pleased. Unpleased would be an understatement. She was furious, seething with hatred. Her fists were clenched so tight that the nails she filed into dagger points were digging into her palms. Blood dripped onto the table surface. Her father was giving up. Father and daughter had shared the same dreams, no goals. Dreams are never actualized. Goals are. They had both wanted to rule this world. Their nature demanded it. But here he was talking about meeting with the Avatar and not crushing the foul little boy under their boots. She was in a state of shock, rage, and disbelief, all mixed into one.

"I shall meet with the Avatar and his rag tag group of allies. We shall come to agreement on what needs to be done. The Fire Nation will not back down." Ozai's normally clear voice was shaking. What had he seen to make him say these treasonous words. "We will keep our power, but appease those we dominate." A cruel smile surfaced on his lips. At least he hadn't changed in that respect.

Azula, however, was not appeased. Despite the collective murmuring and agreement of the generals. Her eyes narrowed and she continued to glare at her father. She would not embarrass him here, in this setting. No, the favored Princess was much too cunning for that. She would bide her time. The Fire Lord adjourned the meeting and sent the generals and the fire prodigy on their way. She kept all words in her mouth and filed out of the War Room.

Same Time

Earth Kingdom: Town of Dao Jian

Katara; Age: 17

Toph; Age: 15

Sokka; Age: 18

Aang; Age: 15 (115)

Sighing, Katara set herself into a low position. Her Water Song Sword securely tied to her hip. There was another slow expulsion of breath from her chest. Slowly, she raised her hands and stood straight, then settled back into her stance. Another slow breath, and her heel struck as her arms made a circular motion forward. Her hips swooped down and all her balance moved to her back leg. Slow breath. Katara's deft hand snapped forward, in a motion that could all be seen when she makes a water whip. She inhaled, then exhaled. Freezing water. Opening her eyes, she drew her sword. Her grip was looser than a normal swordman's.

Her feet moved and Toph could follow the movements. Katara moved slowly. It didn't seem like she was doing anything. Sticking her pinkie in her ear, she waited for it to be over. Katara's weight shift forward as she switched stances. There was a slow exhale and Toph could feel the metal vibrating from the swift push forward. Even though it wasn't touching the ground, she could sense the movement, and almost hear it singing. She, after all, made the sword. That and Sokka's second boomerang and Suki's Naginata and Aang's Cloud Sword and Zuko's Dao Sword. Katara and Aang were the hardest to convince to use them. Toph had to convince them that their styles were too defensive for a war. Those conversation were a war in itself.

"Are you done 'centering' yourself?" Toph groaned whined after a while.

Katara opened her bright eyes and finished her form properly, despite Toph's whining. Glaring at someone who couldn't see you do it (and who was oblivious to any kind of scolding) was a waste of time, but Katara did it anyway. "Not everyone is a prodigy and can just do whatever they feel like and move mountains."

"I have a form too, you know!" Toph shot back and stood up. "Just because I don't spend time breathing and flinging swords around, doesn't mean I don't have a form."

"You made me the sword!"

"Yeah, yeah" Toph shook her wild hair, allowing it to fall into her face. "I'm supposed to be pounding you into the ground. I mean sparring."

"Haha." The darker girl rolled her eyes, and set into a high stance. With an Earthbender opponent she could not be defensive. Toph was already taller and more muscular. On top of that her style was a Praying Mantis. All she did was sit and be unmovable.

"Don't cheat and make the ground muddy."

"I do not cheat," Katara growled. She knew this was a 'Toph' tactic: goading her enemies into making silly mistakes. It gave the Waterbender practice on her focus. When she found herself breathing raggedly, she centered herself again.

"Are you going to attack or just breathe all day?" Toph asked with a whine. At times, Katara wasn't sure if she could stand Toph. The disrespect for any other styles than Earthbending was grinding her nerves. Her argument was that the Earth Kingdom fell too. Toph would come back with the fact that they were the last to fall.

Katara snarled and lashed out with her sword, closely followed by a swinging high kick aimed at Toph's messy head. The earthbender, seeing that Katara was vulnerable, struck out with a short and low kick, while bending back to avoid Katara's kick. Regaining balance, the older girl sidestepped quickly and set back into the comfortable low position. Sword raised over her head and hand held out into front of her, she waited. Her face twisted into a snarl when she saw the crooked grin on Toph's face.

"What are you laughing at?" She growled.

"Why are you so upset? This was supposed to be a fun little practice." Toph replied sinking into her own stance. "You take stuff to seriously."

"You don't take stuff seriously enough, Blind Bandit." Katara scoffed, and moved into a series of fast paced attacks. The sword spun in circles, a trick she adapted from Aang. When the circles stopped the attacks became more whip like.

Toph was unperturbed and read the attacks in the way that the Waterbender moved her feet. Circular sword attacks came when she was standing straight up. Whip like attacks came when her feet were wider apart. The blind girl just laughed and reached out snatched Katara's wrist. "Too tense for a Waterbender." She noted. "You've been awfully moody since the Prince left."

"Shut up, Toph. You don't know anything about it." Katara snatched back and dropped down in an attempt to knock the girl off her feet. Toph bent backward, something completely out of her style, and once her hands were on the ground, lifted up her feet. Katara didn't wait and lunged forward with the sword aiming at one of the supporting arms.

Lifting up one hand and setting down a foot, Toph continued to evade the barely controlled attacks. "Cool it, Sugar Queen. I might think that you are actually trying to hurt me."

"I'll mend you up."

"Only so you can do it again." Toph cackled and set herself. This time for the offense.

Three days later

Fire Nation: Throne Room

"Azula, I have no patience for your old childish games." The Fire Lord boomed inside the room.

With a grin, Azula pushed aside the hanging curtain where she and Zuzu had hidden many times before. "Good, I'm glad you haven't lost all your faculties, Old Man." Azula said with a sinister sweetness. Stepping forward, she didn't even bother bowing to him. As far as she was concern his reign was no longer.

"Will you not pay the proper respects to the Fire Lord?" some insignificant fly asked.

Gold eyes fell on him, followed a blue light directed from the pointed fingers of the Fire Princess Prodigy. "Father, you must find better servants."

Ozai's graying brow rose. "That was General Lao."

"In any case, I've come to speak with you about the farce of a peace meeting." Azula drew in a sharp breath and blew out, allowing flames to flow. "You cannot be considering allowing those renegades to come into Fire Nation and not punish them." The words were calm and even, but the rage was evident. Fearing the Princess's and the Lord's combined wrath, the room cleared out. The puncture wounds into Azula's hands had healed up rather nicely. She was content to cause much torture to the servants who tended to her, rather than hurt herself.

Ozai's face twisted into a hot rage. "Do not question me, Daughter. The time for war is over. We've conquered the world. These meaningless -"

"Those meaningless rebels have evaded us for three years. This war should have been over." Azula interjected. "I fear that you've become to feeble for this, Father." That was a laughable though. Fire Lords ruled well into their nineties if not hundreds.

"Dare you commit treason?" The cruel smile reappeared "Like your Mother?" Fear of his daughter was becoming apparent, so, like viper, he stuck at what he thought was a weakness.

"Don't compare me with her. Soft hearted and idyllic, are things I am not." Azula stood before him, hardly moving anymore than it took breathe. "You claim we've won, but until we have the Avatar we have nothing. Zuko has come back and confirmed that he, himself, taught the Avatar what little he knew about Firebending."

"Sounds like you are scared." There was a derisive laugh from the Princess. "You forget, Child, who is the master here. I've taught you everything you know."

"Perhaps, it's time to show you want I have learned, without the help of a fool." Azula murmured.

"Where is your brother?" Ozai demanded harshly.

"Oh, Zuzu is safe. From our harsh and cruel father, who banished and burned him." The Princess began to pace in front of the Fire Lord. Looking much like a tiger waiting for the pounce. "You have done nothing but fail. Perhaps Iroh should have been Fire Lord. Had I known you to be incapable of finishing this war, I would have never followed you."

"Vicious as the tigress may be, she will never eat her own cubs." Ozai recited as warning to Azula. Whatever she was planning wouldn't work.

"Tiger Father begets Tiger Daughter." She retorted calmly. "Of your crimes Lord Ozai, you've disobeyed the Fire Lord, made your wife murder said Lord, banished your son, the Fire Nation heir, and failed in capturing the Avatar. Even the King of Fire must be punished for this scale of crimes." At that moment, an acrobat dropped from high ceiling of the room and proceed to jab the Lord. "Your Chi has been jammed." A glint of silver shot past Azula's head and cut through the crest on the Fire Lord's head. The Princess didn't even flinch. "I will ask you once, Fire Lord Ozai. Step down and allow a true leader to ascend and finish this war."

"Azula." Ozai's eyes widened.

"No, Fire Lord Azula." she murmured.

"Azula!" He said sternly.

"Ty Lee," she murmured.

The unspoken command was followed out. Azula and her 'friends' exited the room. Ty Lee from the way she came in. Mai disappeared into the darkness. "Guard, send for the doctors, my Father is unwell." It didn't need to be said frantically. All of the Fire Nation knew that the Princess was emotionless and cold.

_Tch, Peace Meeting..._

Same Time

Dao Jian

"Aang, are you sure this meeting is what Zuko said to do?" Katara asked, fretting once more. The smallest things seemed to be setting off the Southerner more and more.With Zuko's departure months before, she hadn't been at ease. And when Sokka left, she felt completely lost.

Ramen hung from Aang's chin. He looked over at Toph, who rolled her sightless eyes and tugged at the braid Katara had forced on her. Bobbling his head, slurped the rest into his mouth. "Zuko went back to talk to his father. You read the letter. And the invitation by Ozai's hand himself." This was Zuko's plan. They would negotiate terms for peace and Zuko would take the throne and Fire Nation would relinquish control over the Earth Kingdom.

"You especially must know, Master Waterbender," Iroh said from the kitchen, he carried a tray of tea. His drooping gold eyes kind and smiling. "You cannot fight fire with water from far away."

Staring blankly at the old man, Katara waited for a further explanation. "Does that mean we go into the fire and risk our lives?" She asked harshly.

Iroh just gave a solemn smile, he hoped that Katara would let her wisdom appease her fear. He resolved to speak with her soon. Katara rubbed her chin. She was looking awful thin and pale. Toph was growing increasingly worried. Her feet on the earth were lighter and ragged, from what Toph could see. Worry had caused black circles to form under her eyes. She was uneasy. Azula had proven to be quite a manipulator. While she had any control in the Fire Nation, they were endanger. "Have some faith in Zuko." Toph muttered. "He's a master bender."

"His sister is a prodigy. Zuko can't master lightening, and Azula can do it with a snap of her fingers." Katara reasoned. Although he could redirect, there was still considerable risk. She couldn't fathom why they were all so relaxed. Sokka was on Kyoshi Island preparing for the meeting, she couldn't confide in him and his tactician mind. He didn't think like Azula, but he could grasp some of her saner ploys. Any insight would have soothed her.

Even if it came from Sokka.


	2. Where Things Are Led

I still don't own anything...

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Dao Jian

Three Months before the peace meeting

They hadn't heard from him. Nothing about danger, nothing green-lighting the meeting. Nothing at all.

"NOT EVEN SOMETHING JUST TO SAY HI!" Katara shouted.

Toph sat still. Her dead eyes staring into the space above Katara's head. Iroh and Aang had also been away, traveling. Iroh wanted an exotic tea from a nearby town. He could only get it there and decided in the lull that he would try some. Sticking her pinkie in her ear, Toph twisted her hand as if to clear out her ear. "There's no reason to yell." she sighed. She was beginning to wonder the real motives behind them leaving.

"I can't believe you're not worried." Katara began pacing...again. The heavy and repetitive steps wore on Toph's awareness. However, the Earthbender resolved to wait it out. The pacing was better than the shaking. "I can't understand it. He would have sent word. He would have wrote a letter."

"Yeesh...It's like you two are married." Toph groaned and leaned back on her side, supporting her head with her hand. Her ankles crisscrossed, allowing one foot to remain planted on the ground.

Katara froze. "Shut up." She murmured softly.

"_You _turned him down remember?" Toph reminded gruffly. Screwing up her face, the Waterbender glared at the blind girl, who knew exactly what Katara was doing, and Toph still purposely plowed on. "You don't love him, not the way a wife should. That's what you said at least. You said you never could. He tried to hurt you too much. You could never trust him. Yadda, yadda, yadda." Toph yawned widely.

"Shut up." Katara balled up her fists. Tightening her jaw, Toph sat there, saying nothing more. The Earthbender was not one to console a stressed Katara. She was the only one who could tolerate it, but it did nothing to actually soothe Katara. Sokka couldn't even do that. "He would still have sent something." She said really to herself.

"If he was in danger, he would. But he's not. There has been no news of his capture or anything." said Toph. Realizing that Katara was most definitely not listening, the Earthbender tensed her hand and the ground rose up around the pacing ankles. Lazily, Toph rose to her feet. "Katara, relax. If anything let's go spar." Grinning, as she stared over the Waterbender's head, Toph rested her calloused hands on Katara's shoulders. The ground sunk down and the darker girl fell into Toph's chest. "You flipped out when he came, and now you're flipping out 'cause he's gone."

Katara listened to the rumble of the younger girl's chest. The muscular arms made her feel safe, like a mountain surrounded her. A small smile formed on her lips. "Toph, I worry."

"I know, you haven't slept since he left." Toph squeezed just a little. "Do you love him?"

"No, but I don't want him in Azula's clutches." Katara murmured. "I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

Fire Nation

Ember Island

"Your Father, Lord Ozai, has fallen ill. He has a fever and cannot move. There is no reason for it." The old healer looked gravely at the Prince. He wasn't sure if he was exiled, banished, or a traitor. Zuko came and went like the seasons. This week he was the Crowned Prince Zuko, the Peacebringer.

Zuko's eyes widened. "He's ill?" he murmured in disbelief.

There was a thud at the door. A servant stumbled through. "The Fire Lord is on the way."

"What is this?" the Prince growled. "You said he was ill!"

"Father is ill, Zuzu. I am the new Fire Lord."

Zuko looked out to the beach. He had been on Ember Island for three months. He hadn't seen his father since he left the capital and was sent here. In that time, Azula had usurped the throne. "What do you mean?"

"Zuko, you are not _that_ stupid." Azula folded herself neatly into the most comfortable chair. Her leg leaned against the other lightly. "I am the new Fire Lord, in the place of Father. Until he gets better, of course. He was asking about you, so I came to visit."

"I must see him." Zuko clenched his fist and turned to face his sister.

"Now, now, Zuko. We mustn't drain Father's energy." She murmured sweetly.

Looking at his sister, he noticed the subtle changes in her. Azula looked more and more like Ursa every time he saw her. All except that hard glint in her eye. The twinkling malice that appeared every time she uttered a word. "I must go back to the capital."

Smirking, Azula stood and folded her arms behind her back. "Zuko, are you not enjoying your time with your friends here? The ones we made back when we came here? If not, I brought you some company."

Without another word, Mai appeared at the doorway. Her expressionless eyes fell on Zuko, who was struck cold. He tightened his jaw. "Don't change the subject!" He snarled, and he glared at his sister. His burned eye narrowed into a near slit.

Azula said nothing.

"Zuko," Mai said dully. "Do not speak to the Fire Lord that way."

Whirling back on her, he just stared amazed. "What? Mai, I -" He took slow steps toward her. "Mai, I'm sorry for leaving like I did." His hand reached out for her. "Mai, I still care about you. Don't think, I don't."

"If you cared, you would have talked to me at least." Mai still looked as blank as before. She went and stood next to Azula. There was a strange exchange between the two. The Pince couldn't finger it, but they were acting differently from the last time they saw each other.

Zuko boiled over. How could he say anything to her? Mai was loyal only to Azula. "Had I told you, what would you have said to Azula?"

"Ah, Zuko." Azula chuckled. "I will take you to the capital, if that's what you wish." Looking at Mai, the Fire Lord wondered what her answer would have been. But there was no room for it. "We do after all have set up this little meeting of yours." She could hardly bring herself to say 'peace'. "If you are so hell bent on -"

"Mai!" Zuko interrupted. The scowl on Azula's face was ignored. "Who do you love more? Azula or me? Tell me now, so I don't hold out for you! So I don't waste my time!" Zuko's voice shook with the same rage that made his Firebending skill reach it's peak.

"That is not a question that should be answered." Mai said quietly and walked back out of the room.

"It seems, dear brother, you made allies with the wrong people." Azula said softly, with an eyebrow raised gently. "You should have, at least, brought that cute little Waterbender with you."

"She's a master bender!" Zuko snapped. "She's on the same level as you and studied in less time. That must mean she's better than you." Zuko smirked thinking he had finally gotten the better of his sister.

Azula let a scowl form on her face for second. "Poor Zuzu, the Avatar must have addled your brain, for you to think that a Waterbending master is on the same level as a Firebending master. We shall remedy that soon enough." She walked out of the doors. No sooner had her back disappeared from sight, did a swarm of guards enter.

"AZULA!"

Dao Jian

Toph's barefoot slammed on the ground, and a wall of earth rose up and fell like dominoes. "Katara?" She 'saw' a foot staggered on the ground, followed by a body jostling things in its arms. Within seconds she confirmed that it was Katara that she had attacked.

"Great Moon, Toph. What's wrong with you?" Katara grumbled.

"Sorry, I get jumpy when I'm alone. You know that." Toph shrugged and stood. Sighing, she grinned. "At least you're not pacing around here like a insane badgermole." The Earthbender made her way outside to help Katara with her groceries.

"I regret letting you make our house out of dirt." Katara continued to grumbled, as Toph took two of her three baskets.

"Don't complain when I defend the fort from invaders," Toph chided. She would just ignore the dirt comment. The house was built of solid rock. Nothing could come with 5 miles without Toph knowing. Unless they came by air, then they were screwed. "Did you hear any word about Zuko?" The question was quiet and unsure. Broaching this subject was touchy, Toph wasn't sure if Katara was ready to talk about it.

The Waterbender just pursed her lips. "All I heard was that he was welcomed home with open arms. The Fire Nation strongholds and provinces have called many soldiers back." Katara said through her gritted teeth. "No one seems to think that this isn't right. The Fire Nation just doesn't forget!" Allowing her friend to rant, Toph just waited for her to finish. "I'll blame Zuko if this fails."

"Iroh's back." Toph reported out of habit. "Maybe you should talk to him. He knows the Fire Nation better than anyone. Hopefully, he knows his family better than anyone."

Katara hung her head. Toph was right she was worrying too much. If anything was wrong, they'd know. The village would be be buzzing with rumors. No matter how hard Toph worked to protect them they would run out and feed on any gossip they could get their hands on.

"Hello, young ladies," Iroh greeted them with a wide, content grin. "You'll never believe all the wonderful teas we've had."

Toph waved at the oldest member of their ragtag family. She couldn't see him, but Iroh set down his bags and entered the kitchen. Iroh frowned when the Waterbender's eyes didn't meet his, as she spoke. The smile on her lips didn't reach her eyes. All that worried the tea lover.

"Where's Twinkle Toes?" Toph spoke out against the silence.

"Aang went to meet Sokka and Suki in whatever ocean they are in." Iroh rumbled in displeasure. The Earthbender could imagine the conversation they had. The old Firebender probably advised Aang against placing himself in danger, just to see people who were on their way to see him. But if anything, Aang was determined. And he loved his friends.

Toph said nothing, while Katara put food inot the stone cupboards. The silly things had made her so happy that Toph regretted she didn't make them sooner. But it din't go unnoticed that she wasn't enjoying them as much now. "I need to go repair one of the tunnels." Noticing a slight turn of the Earthbender's messy head, Iroh knew what had been oing on while he was away. His foot soundlessly tapped the ground. Toph, in turn, gave a curt nod to show her appreciation. She put her trust in him to make Katara feel better. When Katara felt bad, everyone felt bad. And Toph was tried of it.

Fire Nation

In the throne room, the Fire Lord sat. The silence was just as unnerving as the unmoving stare. All the servants had vacated the area. The entire palace was almost still, save the trembling of one soldier. It echoed through the entire capital. Sharpened nails slowly drummed against the arm of the throne. An indeterminable amount of time had passed in the dim light. "Tell me again, how my dear brother escaped." The cold voice dripped from the direction of throne.

The soldier couldn't decide if he was happy that he was still alive, or if he was scared that he was still alive. Flames that decorated the room had gone from orange to blue. "F-f-f-f-f-f-fire L-l-l-ady, t-t-there was no wuh-way he c-c-c-could h-uh-have escaped."

"But he did." There was a crackling sound. A blue snake of lightening wrapped around her hand and without warning, a shot out from the throne. It land a hair to the left of the man. "I am the Fire Lord. Gender has nothing to do with my position. Address me as such." There was an acrid smell in the air, completely different from the smell of burning flesh. "You have yet to explain to me how your prisoner escaped from the ship." Azula spoke still calmly.

"Fire Lord Azula, he was bound and gagged when we boarded him." The soldier begged. "We had guards watching him."

"You had guards." Azula's brow rose in mock surprise. "Were these guards your best? Your best Firebenders?"

"They were the best for the job!" The soldier said angrily.

"But not the best on the ship." Azula calmly. She stood slowly. Silence fell on the throne room. Anxiety seemed to flowing from his entire body. The slow echoing footfalls landed and repeated. "So, in other words you failed to follow a direct order. My orders were to bring Prince Zuko back to the capital. Perhaps the word 'Prince' confused you. He was to be treated as a traitor and a prisoner. I trusted you to know that."

The soldier began to blubber and beg. Azula curled her lip in disgust. "Take him away." Azula said into the air. Not once did she raise her voice in anger. There was no need for rage. This fool had down all this to himself, he failed. He knew what he did wrong. But what was done was done, nothing the soldier could do now would change his punishment. She watched in silence as the former Admiral of the Fire Nation navy was dragged away by masked soldiers.

Ty Lee and Mai entered the room. The acrobat slid down one of the deep red curtains that hung near the throne. Mai simply stepped from out of the darkness. "Azula? You didn't get the information you wanted, why did you have him taken away?" Ty Lee asked in her usual chipper tone.

Saying nothing the Fire Lord sank into her throne. Mai just leaned against it and stared boredly ahead. "She wasn't going to hear anything that would please her. It was probably best that he was taken away."

Azula sighed. "Mai, do you know how Zuko escaped?" She asked languidly. The question the Prince had posed still bothered her. Did Mai love him more than her? Did she have a reason to be jealous? Mai was hers after all. Just like Ty Lee was hers. Azula didn't even have to threaten Ty Lee to come home when she leaves for the circus every once in a while.

"No," she said simply. Mai wouldn't think of lying to Azula. There's no reason to. Azula would get what she wanted and there was no stopping her.

"But that's your boyfriend Mai!" Ty Lee said hopefully. She still believed in love and pink auras.

"Zuko is a traitor and a fool." The statement was made. Mai simply unfolded her arms and knelt down near Azula's feet. The look on her face was bland as usual, but the Firebending prodigy could see that Mai wouldn't be able to betray her.

"Ty Lee, it almost sounds like you want her to betray the Fire Nation." Azula smirked and slid her eyes over to the contortionist. "All for the sake of some romantic nonsense you have swimming around in your head."

The girl's eyes widened. She looked hurt. "No fair, Azula." Then she smiled and looked at Mai. "If Mai had Zuko, I would have Azula all to myself."

The blade master snorted. "Fat Chance."


	3. Where Dreams Begin

Dao Jian

Katara wrung her heads together. IBefore her Toph. They were standing on the second floor balcony of the house, their fortress, that the Earthbender had created. The sightless girl couldn't see the sun setting on the ocean that peaked between the mountains. But the view with Toph planted in the foreground looking pensive caused an odd feeling in the pit of Katara's stomach.

"Katara, if you have something to say, say it." Toph said turning around, with a small smirk on her face. "You're disturbing my breathing."

The Waterbender blushed. "I, I just wanted to thank you for putting up with me." She mumbled. Katara had never noticed the change in Toph's voice before a few days ago. When Iroh had mentioned it. It had grown from the annoying bratty tone to a smooth, rich tone. Toph was always teasing her. It made it hard to notice.

Toph snorted and turned back to the scene she couldn't see. "Whatever, Sugar Queen." There was a slight chuckle in her voice.

"I mean it!" Katara said, glaring at the taller girl's back. These changes were unnerving at times. Toph was _taller _now, toner, more muscular. Wrapping her mind around it was hard. When did it happen? When did Toph actually change from the bratty prodigy to the mature master? "You are the only one I can count on sometimes."

Toph made a derisive sound. "And why do you think that is?"

"I don't know," the darker girl said exasperatedly. "Because everyone else thinks I'm just some weak and scared little girl that can't handle it."

"Nah, that's not it." Toph muttered, as she ran her fingers over the wall of the balcony.

Katara watched as Toph bent down and rubbed the rock, frowning slightly. "Because everyone else is too busy."

"And I'm not?" The pale girl scoffed.

Toph's black hair wasn't tied up. She was getting ready to go to bed or at least winding down for the night. The raven hair fell down her back, almost as long as Katara's own brown mane. Toph's arm extended out, the muscles tightened through her skin. "Because no one else cares?"

"We all care about you."

Katara swallowed hard, as Toph continued to trace along the wall. There was another possible reason. But she wasn't quite ready to broach that subject."What are you doing?" She asked, thinking it was time to change the subject.

"The balcony has a weak point. If Appa lands here again, it'll collapse right off the wall." Toph explained blandly.

"So add another support beam." Katara reasoned.

"So I can hear about how ugly it looks?" Toph teased. Katara was always saying something about how the house looks. Toph could have cared less. But because Katara did, she did what she could to make it aesthetically pleasing. Not that it meant anything. She was just being a good friend. "Don't worry about it, I'll make sure it's pleasing to your eye and sturdy enough for Appa."

Katara hung her head. Feeling guilty about forcing all her aesthetic preferences on a blind person, she sighed and went to stand near the Earthbender. "Toph," she murmured. "What will you do when this is all over?"

The air around them was still for a long moment. Toph stood from her split position and turned in Katara's direction. "What do you mean?" The Earthbender had never really given it thought. When it was all over? The end didn't seem real. It seemed so far way that it didn't really matter. It never seemed like they would ever see the end.

"What will you do? Will you go back home? Continue to travel? Stay with Aang? Go back to your tournaments?" Katara sighed and looked at the fair skinned girl.

"I don't know. I guess I have to show my face to my parents at some point." Toph grinned lazily. "But I think it really depends on what everyone else is doing. If nobody wants me around, I'll figure out something. What about you?"

Katara laughed derisively. "I'll go home and end up married to some Northern Water warrior. Then produce some more Waterebenders."

Frowning Toph moved her bare feet closer to Katara, until they were barely touching the covered feet of her older friend. "Is that what you want?" She asked oblivious to the sarcasm in Katara's tone.

Sighing, the darker girl turned away from the Earthbender. "No, of course not. But I'm no warrior, or traveler." Katara pulled away from the close range of the her friend, mainly in order to still her heart, which had started beating at an irregular pace.

Toph's gaze somewhere to the left of Katara's face. "You could stay with me." A sly grin formed on her pale lips. "Heal up my scrapes and bruises...that you would give me." There was an unnatural nervousness in her speech. Tightness crept around the edges of Toph's lips. "Does that sound appealing?"

Katara turned her head, a small frown on her face. "Stay with you?"

"Travel, I don't think I would stay in spot for long. I spent twelve years of doing that." Toph raised her right bare foot and rubbed the back of her left calf. An uneasy grin was flashed at the darker girl.

The Waterbender seemed to consider it. Like it was a completely rational and logical suggestion, to travel the world at their leisure. Then she scoffed. "I'm a homebody. I belong raising children and teaching."

Stiffening, Toph felt a flare of rage rise up. Perhaps it was Katara's talk of not being suited for this. But the Master Bender was wiser than she appeared. Toph knew it was because the thought of a man penetrate the icy walls of Katara and leaving his seed enraged her. There was only a handful of men that actually spent anytime with her friend. Toph meant to keep it that way. "You sound like that one teacher you had." Ripples in the ground told the blind girl that Katara had shifted uncomfortably. Toph could hear a sharp intake of breath.

Facing the owner of the cruel statement, Katara glared. Not at Toph, but past her, at the distant memory. She had met many more chauvinistic teachers and mentors. It was after all a man's world. "That was the longest moment of weakest in history." Katara chuckled. "Once again, I thank you, Toph." The distant glare was replaced with a warm smile for Toph. She was the only that could understand and snap her out of her self-pity.

Toph felt Katara lean against the balcony and moved closer to her. Her arm brushed against Katara's. In that quick and fleeting moment, she could feel the darker girl's heart beating, fast and flighty. "I wouldn't do it, if I didn't care about you." She said in a rumble that came from her chest, as if she didn't really mean to say it out loud.

"You're the closet thing to a sister I've ever had." Katara cringed at herself for saying that. A sister? Toph wasn't some little girl she could dress up. Her androgynous beauty, pale skin (usually covered in dirt), angular face (which reminded her of a fox when she grinned).

Toph was put off by the statement as well and simply nodded her head. "I don't want to be your sister." She said in something of a growl. In a fluid, yet forceful movement, she took a slender brown wrist in her calloused hand and pulled Katara towards her body. Feeling her tense and start to twist, Toph brought her free hand to the older girl's face. The tips of her fingers brushed against the delicate cheekbone, down to the side of her nose, down to the curve of her lip. "I want to make you happy, to hear you laugh." She said in a whisper. "I want to be the only thing that makes you hurt. I want to be the only thing that makes you sigh and scream and moan at night."

Katara's eyes flashed. She hadn't ever heard Toph speak this way. The pitch of her voice went from mellow to husky. The words she was saying wasn't making any sense to her. It was the sound of her voice that had lulled her away. Her eyes glazed over as she watched the pale lips expelling Toph's aspirations. And it suddenly all made sense to her. All the times, Toph hung around when Katara taught. She never left Dao Jian without Katara. Toph tolerated and sometimes went so far as to soothe her. Toph _was_ her husband. Toph put up with her out of love. It felt so comfortable and so right, Katara hadn't even noticed it. "T-t-toph." She stammered as her head reeled. The smell of the earth and Toph's sweat was too much a mix for her, feeling Toph's arms around her and hearing the sound of her voice baring her soul.

"Katara." Toph said resolutely. "I mean it. The thought of you marrying someone out of this ridiculous sense of duty you have for you Tribe is too much to bear." Her voice was pleading, but still mellow, rich and thick.

"You're just a kid." Katara muttered as head started to clear. After an instant of swooning, the Waterbender immediately felt wrong and out of place. She tried to place her hands on Toph's forearms to push her away, so that her head could regain it's logic. But Toph tightened her grip and wrapped an arm around the shorter girl's waist. "Sokka must have been sending you romance novels." She tried to diffuse the situation.

The moment of truth, Toph thought. Toph had kissed other girls. After tournaments, people flitted to her. In the fighting circles, her preferences had been made a scandal. But in the end, her ability to win out despite her 'disability' made her a beloved champion. Her oddities just gave her more character. She had her choice of boys and girls at times. At times, it could have been dangerous for a youth. But Toph was an Earthbending Master. "I'm not a kid. I'll be sixteen. In two weeks time. Even still, believe me I'm no kid." She murmured before bringing her lips to Katara's.

Katara watched helplessly as the pale lips moved for hers. The arm around her waist tightened, hoping that the girl it enclosed would just sit there listlessly. "Toph," the Waterbender whispered, just as the lips touched and engaged her own. Toph's smell made her head spin and Katara couldn't help but to react. Her blood started to boil, ready to explode. Pressing voluntarily into the firm body, Katara's hands moved from Toph's arms up to her head. Tangling her fingers into the messy black hair, she pressed Toph closer to her lips.

Toph's blind eyes rolled back into her head. Sparing a moment to thank the gods, she delved into Katara's mouth without any hesitancy. To her surprise, there was no awkward crashing of lips and teeth, as one so often gets when out carousing. It was a perfect melding of lips and tongues and teeth. Like she was marrying to pieces of metal that were meant to be together. The feeling of Katara's teeth pulling on her bottom lip as if to bring her out of her distracted thoughts, made the solid knees of the Earthdender week and rubbery. Her 'vision' started to blur as every inch of her tingled.

The building need in Katara was raging against her walls of sanity. Waves of lust lapped the nerves controlling her body. Suki had told her that her that boys kiss clumsily when they had their first one and that unless she was with the right one that she feel awkward doing it. But the slim Waterbender didn't feel awkward. She was feeling light, insane, beautiful, needy, wanting. Her head was reeling from Toph's smell and then her hands toying with the hem of her shirt. But sure enough, sense came riding back to the darker girl, just as they pulled away for air.

Katara rested her head on Toph's chest to avoid the literal blind hope on her face. She was still dizzy and feeling slightly sick. She just slumped against Toph. "Why?" She uttered in a soft whimper.

Fire Nation Capital

Hard gold eyes flared with indignation. The receiver of the glare knew that he would pay for his insolence or what the Fire Lord perceived as insolence. However when the lips of the Fire Lord tightened and stretched into a sweet and sinister smile, the man the teeth gleamed at was sure he would die a slow and painful death.

"Zuko," The voice was petulant. "I only want to know where you've been hiding all this time. I've missed you dreadfully! And if you tell me I can punish the soldiers that let you stay there so long without knowing!" Azula's sinister tricks were not fooling the exiled prince. They disgusted him. He had fallen for them so many times, weakened by his need for approval and acceptance. But now as he was chained to a wall in the darkest, dankest Azula could find in the capital, he was jaded by it. Zuko actually laughed. The movement of his lungs made his whole torso ache. The muscles his arms stretched out behind him by the manacles had long been pulled out of place.

"Azula, you are pathetic. I'm not telling you. Nothing you could possibly do to me would make me." Zuko said with a satisfied smirk. The new purple bruises and sickly yellow old ones molted the prince's skin.

The Fire Lord had a smirk of her own, and held up a hand to pause the two burly men in the room. "Now, now, we can't go beating on the Prince whenever we like. Even if he does try to escape, instead visiting his father like a good son." Grinning, she leaned in, closing the distance between her and the slumped man. "You are so disgusting." She murmured.

With no other warning or words spoken, Mai entered the dungeon, followed by a less noticed Ty Lee. Zuko's opened eye focused on his former love. "What is this?" He growled. He tried to pull himself to his feet, but to no avail.

"Don't be so irritable." Azula remarked in a mocking scold. "Mai has come, perhaps because she missed me?" The girl cooed at Mai and held out her arm towards the emotionless girl. Flashing another 'innocent' grin to Zuko, Azula turned back to Mai allowing her eyes to soften as she gazed at the moon pale face of the girl in her arms.

"Yes, Azula, we missed you." Mai answered blandly.

"What's taking so long? It's late." Ty Lee whined petulantly from the shadows as she meandering about touching various pieces of equipment.

"Oh, my poor little neglected doves. You have Zuko to thank for that." Azula murmured before her tongue darted out and teased the outer shell of Mai's ear. "He just refuses to tell me what I want to know."

Zuko watched in horror as Mai's usually bland face contorted slightly and formed into a mask of wanting. Something he could never do. As in all aspects of his life, Azula had bested him. Ty Lee's whining about not getting enough attention went unheard by him. But the prodigy turned and sweetly apologized by placing a loving kiss on the acrobat's pouting lips. The captive's throat tightened, when Mai's hand reached for Azula's, intertwining their fingers. The blademaster's eyes cut to the source of a strangled cry, but said nothing.

For now, Azula had surmised that the Prince's torture had been complete. A few more days and he would be broken. "I'm done for the day. Clean him up. We have much to accomplish tomorrow." She said elegantly as if she was not in the murkiness depths of a prison.

He would be taken to a windowless closet of a room. He would receive visitors from all the welcoming nobles (of course in a more suitable setting). He would have all the privileges of a Prince who might just run away from his responsibilities again. With all that set up, Azula could put her plans in motion.

But not before she rewarded her little doves for being so patient.


End file.
